Five places you should visit
Gelderland
The Veluwe
The largest forest area in the country. Home to red deer, wild boar and mouflon. Hoge Veluwe National Park has special viewing points.
Flevoland
Oostvaardersplassen
A wild marsh on land that was sea until the 1960s. Konik horses, red deer, spoonbills and white-tailed eagles live here.
North coast
Wadden Sea & islands
Seals on the sandbanks and huge flocks of birds. Texel and Schiermonnikoog are great starting points.
South Holland / North Brabant
The Biesbosch
A maze of creeks and willow forests. Take a canoe or boat trip and look for beavers and kingfishers.
Overijssel
Weerribben-Wieden
The largest peat marsh in north-west Europe. The home of the otter, as well as rare dragonflies and butterflies.
Wildlife calendar
| Season | What can you see? |
|---|---|
| Spring (March – May) | Spoonbills return, young foxes and badgers leave their dens, birds sing everywhere. |
| Summer (June – August) | Harbour seal pups on the sandbanks, wild boar piglets in the Veluwe. |
| Autumn (September – October) | The red deer rut: stags roar and fight in the Veluwe. Bird migration along the coast. |
| Winter (November – February) | Grey seal pups, wild geese from the Arctic, and fresh beaver signs along the rivers. |
Wildlife bridges
The Netherlands is one of the world leaders in building ecoducts — green bridges over motorways and railways, covered with sand, grass and bushes. Deer, wild boar, badgers and even insects use them to move safely between forests. One of the longest in the world is the Natuurbrug Zanderij Crailoo near Hilversum, which is about 800 metres long.
Tips for wildlife watchers
- Go early or late. Most mammals are active at dawn and dusk.
- Rent a bike. Many national parks have excellent cycle paths, and bikes are quiet.
- Stay on the paths. Some areas are closed in the breeding season. Respect the signs.
- Bring binoculars. A pair with 8× or 10× magnification is ideal.
- Never feed wild animals. Feeding wild boar, for example, makes them lose their fear of people.